Dave Chappelle surprises Toronto mayor

Comedian wanted to know if he could smoke on stage.

Toronto's mayor Rob Ford received a surprise visit at his office yesterday from comedian Dave Chappelle yesterday, who showed up unexpectedly to apparently ask whether he was allowed to smoke on stage during his three-show stint at the Winter Garden Theatre.

According to The Star, "NOW Magazine" reported that Chappelle had already smoked a number of cigarettes during his live show on Monday night. Ford's aides immediately took to Twitter to post about the comedian's impromptu visit, posting a picture of Chappelle with the mayor himself. The Globe and Mail went on to reprint a section of "NOW's" article, citing, "Chappelle walked out puffing on a cigarette… He’d smoke four more in the course of the 75-minute set loosely organized around what he’s been thinking and doing for the past seven years."

“He was inquiring about our smoking bylaws,” Isaac Ransom, the mayor’s special assistant for communications, said (The Globe and Mail). “Our office assisted him and while he was here, he met Mayor Ford. They just met briefly, said ‘hi’ to each other. The mayor was on his way out to a meeting… I think the mayor was excited. Mr. Chappelle is here in Toronto performing a number of shows, so it should be good.”

All of Chappelle's Toronto shows were sold-out.

However, following the encounter, an official promptly contacted the theatre “to remind them of the provincial Smoke-Free Ontario Act and that all performers must be in compliance with the legislation,” spokesperson Kris Scheuer said. “There are no exemptions.”